IT FINALLY HIT ME: OK, I am finally in the Christmas spirit thanks to Bing Crosby & Irving Berlin…and a local television producer named Conrad Denke.
Tonight, from our living room I got to watch Stephanie Anne Johnson and I host Band in Seattle’s Christmas Special. The show culminates with my duet of Slow Jam for Christmas with Stephanie Walbon and my whole gang. This was my attempt with show runner Conrad Denke to make an old fashioned Hollywood musical number with his Victory Studios and a good number, we kind of nailed it.
After the Special, we sat back and watched White Christmas all warm and toasty in the old craftsman house on the hill and enjoyed the absolute masters at work. It was like I was seeing it for the first time.
Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye, Bing, Vera Ellen, with the genius of Irving Berlin.
More than ever I felt like Bing, that bright eyed baritone from Spokane, WA. I don’t think I had watched White Christmas since I was a boy. Since then, I put on some shows, I pulled together the old gang like they did…
The only thing White Christmas was missing was that diversity; a truly All American diversity that I have been so proud Conrad and is team strived for.
With their next Women of Band in Seattle Special this Summer, it’s something they continue to strive for.
This is one of the reasons that I always go the extra mile to help Conrad. And it’s pretty obvious that over these last three Christmas’ he has volunteered so much time and has take real chances on helping me.
These last three holidays, rocking a deluxe 4X Santa suit Danny Gherman bought for me, Conrad has directed me on 3 productions these last three years. Each one of them he watched the film, and to paraphrase, he messaged me,
“You nailed it kid.”
Here is the story behind the song White Christmas that made so much that followed possible:
http://www.countryliving.com/life/news/a45720/white-christmas-song-history/
Here is one of the commercials we shot at High Dive in 2015 that made many things possible:
PS. Thank you Caine Coldnote for all that you do, on and off screen. I see you. It takes a village. Band in Seattle has documented so much of this village since 2014. Here’s to Conrad on his quest for season 5.
– Musician and writer Davin Michael Stedman has many musical ventures and is one of the driving forces behind the Staxx Brothers. He will be partying in Kingston, Jamaica soon.
